Ilex plant named ‘Jenny’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Ilex crenata plant named ‘Jenny’ that is characterized by its highly vigorous growth habit with strong and fast-growing root systems, its flat leaves, its foliage that is bright green in color when young and dark green in color when mature, its male flowers that lack fruit production, and its neat and densely branched plant habit.

Botanical classification: Ilex crenata.

Variety denomination: ‘Jenny’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rightsapplication filed on Oct. 16, 2020, application No. 2020/2556. TheApplicant received the information for the Plant breeders' rightsapplication directly from the Inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ilexcrenata and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Jenny’.‘Jenny’ is a new cultivar of Japanese holly grown for use as anornamental landscape plant.

‘Jenny’ was discovered by the Inventor as a chance seedling in a trialfield in Hazerswoude-Dorp, The Netherlands in 2013. The parentage isunknown as there were numerous cultivars of Ilex crenata growing in thetrial field.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by theInventor using softwood stem cuttings in 2013 in Hazerswoude-Dorp, TheNetherlands. Asexual propagation by softwood stem cuttings hasdetermined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable andare reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been observed repeatedly and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Jenny’ as a unique cultivar of Ilex.

-   -   1. ‘Jenny’ exhibits a highly vigorous growth habit with strong        and fast-growing root systems.    -   2. ‘Jenny’ exhibits flat leaves.    -   3. ‘Jenny’ exhibits foliage that is bright green in color when        young and dark green n color when mature.    -   4. ‘Jenny’ exhibits male flowers only and lacks fruit        production.    -   5. ‘Jenny’ exhibits a neat and densely branched plant habit.

‘Jenny’ can be most closely compared to the Ilex crenata cultivars‘Caroline Upright’ (not patented), ‘Glory Gem’ (not patented) and‘Convexa’ (not patented). ‘Caroline Upright’ differs from ‘Jenny’ inhaving weaker and slower growing root system, young shoots that aredarker green in color, a slower growing plant habit, leaves that arelarger in size and a less dense branching habit. ‘Glory Gem’ differsfrom ‘Jenny’ in having thicker leaves that are less flat and smaller insize, young foliage that is darker green in color, a slower growing rootsystem, and has a higher susceptibility to disease. ‘Convexa’ differsfrom ‘Jenny’ in having leaves that are less flat, foliage that is darkergreen in color, a higher susceptibility to disease, a less compact andmore irregular growth habit, and in being a female plant that producesberries.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosures and/orsales that fall within a one-year grace period to the filing date.Disclosures include website listings by vida-verde, Arboretum, LucanGarden Centre, Proctors Nursery, bijstox, Hornbach, Clarenbridge GardenCentre, floraxchange, pelckmans, Stewarts Garden Centres, and Ebay.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance anddistinct characteristics of six-month-old plants of the new cultivar asgrown outdoors in a 17-cm containers in Muge, Portugal.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant habit of‘Jenny’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the mature foliageof ‘Jenny’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a comparison of the foliage between‘Jenny’ (left) and towards the right ‘Carolina Upright’, ‘Convexa’, and‘Glory Gem’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Ilex.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of one-year-old plants of thenew cultivar grown outdoors in 19-cm containers in Hazerswoude-Dorp, TheNetherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions.

The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart ofThe Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where generalcolor terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—May into June in The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Evergreen, perennial shrub.        -   Plant habit.—Compact, semi-upright.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches an average of 30 cm in height and            width as a one-year-old plant in a 19-cm container, reaches            an average of 80 cm in height and 45 cm in width when grown            in the landscape without pruning.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A Zone 7a.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility to diseases or pests            has been observed.        -   Root description.—Densely fibrous and 165C in color.        -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.        -   Root development.—An average of 4 weeks for root initiation            and 12 months to produce a rooted plant in a 19-cm container            in Portugal.        -   Growth rate.—High, an average of 10 weeks earlier than is            typical of the species.-   Branch description:    -   -   Branching.—Densely branching; 3 main branches each with an            average of 21 lateral branches.        -   Stem size.—Main stems; 2.7 cm in length, 8 mm in diameter,            lateral branches; 4 mm in diameter, 18 cm in length.        -   Stem surface.—Slightly glossy, older stems covered with            smooth bark.        -   Stem shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem aspect.—An average of 55° (90° is vertical).        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem color.—Young stems; N77A, mature stems; 146B, older            stems; 199C.        -   Internode length.—Average of 5 mm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Acute.        -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, both surfaces 144B.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf aspect.—Flat.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces glossy and smooth.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 2.2 cm in length and 1 cm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 50 per lateral branch.        -   Leaf color.—Young leaves upper surface 144B, young leaves            lower surface 144C, mature upper surface 137A, mature lower            surface 146C.        -   Petioles.—Average of 4 mm in length and 1 mm in diameter,            strong, smooth and glabrous surface, color; upper surface            144B with 199A, lower surface 199A, base 77A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Cymes of campanulate-shaped flowers on            axillary nodes of lateral branches.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 2 weeks, self-cleaning.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 7 mm in height and            diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower number.—3 to 4 per inflorescence.        -   Flower aspect.—Rotate, cup-shaped.        -   Flower bud.—Round-oblong in shape, an average of 1 mm in            length and width, color; a blend of N155A and 144C, base            144D.        -   Flower form.—Campanulate.        -   Flower size.—An average of 4 mm in width and 1 mm in depth.        -   Petal.—An average of 4, rotate, ovate in shape, an average            of 2 mm in length, 3 mm in width, obtuse apex, rounded base,            entire margin, color upper and lower surface N155A, smooth            and glabrous on upper and lower surfaces.        -   Sepals.—An average of 4, ovate in shape, an average of 0.7            mm in length and width, broadly acute apex, fused based,            entire margin, color upper and lower surfaces 144C, smooth            and glabrous on upper and lower surfaces.        -   Peduncles.—Oval in shape, an average of 3 mm in length and            0.5 mm in width, moderately strong, 144C in color, smooth            and glabrous surface.        -   Pedicels.—Oval in shape, an average of 4 mm in length and            0.3 mm in width, moderately strong, 144C in color, smooth            and glabrous surface.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Not present, male flowers only.        -   Androecium.—4 stamens, anthers; oblong in shape, 3 mm in            length, 0.2 mm in width, 1D in color, filaments; an average            of 1 mm in length and 1D in color, pollen is moderate and 1A            in color.        -   Seed and fruit.—Not produced as only male flowers are            present.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ilex plant named‘Jenny’ as herein illustrated and described.